Words are not enough
by mogwai1988
Summary: Sly Cooper turning himself in? Carmelita isn't buying it and is determend to find out why only to find she is struggling with her emotions for the master thief.  Little does she know Sly has his own little surprise planned for her. one-shot


**This little one shot has been floating in my head for the last couple of weeks and since it's valentines day I figured this would be as good a time as any to upload it.  
****Enjoy and forgive me for any grammar errors. English isn't my first language.**

**Disclaimer: Sly Cooper and related characters are owned by Sucker punch.**

**Words are not enough.**

As her soft, red tail twitched back and forth, Carmelita Fox couldn't help but shoot an angry glare at the raccoon casually sitting on her desk.  
His arms crossed in front of his chest and his trusty cane leaning against the worn wood of her office chair and a smug smile across his face.  
Her look of anger soon replaced itself with one of surprise when the raccoon suddenly offered her his wrists, letting his head hang down.

"I give up." He told Carmelita with a smooth voice.

She raised an eyebrow but reached for her handcuffs nonetheless.

"Why?" She wanted to know as she placed the cold, metal on his wrists.

"Why?" He repeated, showing her the smug smile never left his face.

"The Sly Cooper I've been chasing for the last couple of years won't give up that easily and would never turn himself in unless he has a good reason. So why Cooper?"

"I can't tell." Was his simple answer.

"Can't or won't?"

"Both inspector Fox."

"So you expect me to believe that you sneaked into my office just so you can turn yourself in?" She huffed.

He simply nodded.

She sighed before picking up the black colored phone resting next to Sly.

"Barkley is not going to believe this." She muttered as she dialed the number to his office.

Inspector Fox waited as she heard the phone go over once...twice...three times, before a long beeping tone reached her ears.

Sly smiled again as he released the button that allowed him to disconnect her call.

"Carm, beautiful. Think for a moment."

"Think about what?" She softly growled.

"Your career."

A moment of silence fell between the two rivals.

"Tell the chief I just casually dropped in and surrendered and you can miss that big promotion you wanted ever since you started chasing me." The thief explained.

"The one they took from me when you escaped six months back."

"I..I didn't know they would do that Carm honestly. You deserved that promotion."

"Don't tell me you're here because you feel guilty?" she asked, raising one brow yet again.

"Nope." Came his simple answer.

"Thought so."

"Tell you what gorgeous. I'll stay right here and you'll go and get that chief inspector of yours." Sly proposed.

She thought for a moment before opening one of the desks drawers and pulling out two more pair of handcuffs. His eyes went wide for a split second.

"There is no need to rush into things gorgeous. The night is still young." He joked.

For a second he could see a warm smile creeping onto her face.

"Remember the time you cuffed me to an railing in Russia?" she asked he face showing a sign of embarrassment.

"You mean our first date?" He grinned.

She snorted at his comment.

"I never kiss on a first date Cooper." She assured him.

"I'll keep that in mind inspector."

A soft click was heard as she proceeded to provide his wrists with the metal cuffs, before locking the other end of both on a pipe that graced her wall.

"Not exactly a railing next to an active volcano, but it'll do. Stay put ringtail."

"Carm I doubt even Houdini could escape from this but even if I could I said I would stay right here."

"We'll see." she huffed before walking out of her office.

* * *

Her tail still twitched as she led her chief towards her office. The cigar he was smoking shrank with the second as the small man deeply inhaled the taste, letting out large puffs of smoke as he exhaled. Carmelita could almost see the veins throbbing in his neck.  
She began getting even more nervous as she reached for the knob on her office door. Knowing she had spent far too much time convincing Barkley that she had 'caught' the infamous Sly Cooper and deep down she hoped he was true to his word.  
Her tail stopped twitching when she found out he did keep his word as he was still sitting on her desk. Both arms slightly in an up position as the pipe made sure he wasn't going anywhere.

"Chief Barkley I presume. Inspector Fox here told me how she looks up to you sir." He praised the short dog, giving him a slight nod.

"Don't think ya can sweet talk yer way outta this Cooper." He growled with a huge grin on his face. "Ya be facing a lifetime in jail fer all the heists ya pulled."

"It can't be that many."

"Are you kidding me ringtail? You've got your own drawer in the archive department. We can barely cramp another one of your case files in there."

"I have?" He asked his ears perking up.

She sighed and shook her head when she noticed the boyish gleam of pride in his eyes.

"Inspector Fox. I ain't wishin tha run ahead of things, but this here does call fer a celebration don't ya think?"

* * *

Loud music played as her fellow colleagues congratulated her on her biggest achievement yet. Everyone pitched in to raid the vending machines of their contents and helping the chief to throw that last minute party. Interpol HQ had never been so alive.  
Carmelita smiled, talked and blushed for the first couple of hours before she remembered something.  
Hurrying back towards her office, she pulled out one expensive looking bottle of red wine from the top drawer of her file cabinet. A pink bow resting around it's neck.  
Returning to the party she noticed her co-workers being too swept away with the music, the drinks and each other, that she decided there and then it was time to get some answers from her favorite criminal.  
Swiping two wine glasses from the make-shift buffet table, she made her way towards the basement cells.

* * *

"Inspector Fox!" two heavy voices boomed as soon as she came into view.

"At ease boys." Carmelita ordered two large guards that where to make sure the raccoon didn't escape Interpol a second time.

"Congratulations Inspector...I mean Captain." One of the two started.

"Thank you. Do you boys mind if I had a chat with Cooper?"

"Ma'am we can't let you..."

She held up the two glasses to silence the guard.

"I'll be fine. I've got a girls best friend right here." She tapped the shockpistol resting on her hip with the heavy bottle. "Why don't two go and enjoy the party upstairs and come back in an couple of hours?"

"We can't..."

Again she tapped against her pistol.

"Right. They don't call you Inspector 'bull's-eye' Fox for nothing ma'am."

She nodded.

"Lock me up in there with that criminal and take the key with you. I'll make sure Cooper doesn't try anything funny." the inspector assured them.

Both men did as they where told.  
Inside the cell she found Sly sitting on his 'new' bed, his head turned towards the door and a small book in his hands.

"You would make a fine criminal gorgeous, leading guards away like that."

"And you could have been a great cop."

"So what do I owe this visit? One last rendezvous before I'm transported to Heathrow prison tomorrow?"

Once again she huffed.

"You and I both know you'll be out of here before dawn. I'll bet this is all part of your plan, whatever that might be."

He flashed her a grin.

"You know me too well mon chéri. Is that your victory wine I see there?"

A sudden sensation went trough her spine as the French words rolled from his lips.

"You should know. You gave me this bottle remember."

"Are you sure you want to open your present now? We'll be running across rooftops under the light of the full moon soon enough miss Fox."

Taking a seat next to him, she began peeling the gold, colored foil from the bottle.

"That talk we had in the chopper six months back, made me realize your not bad company to talk to."

She shot him a warm smile before turning her attention towards the bottle again.

"Good enough that you have no problem sharing your victory wine with me."

As an response she softly began cursing under her breath when she realized she forgot to bring a corkscrew. The raccoon motioned for her to give him the bottle with his right hand as his left fumbled with the lid of the small red pouch resting around his leg.  
Frowning, Carmelita handed him the bottle.

"They didn't frisk you?" she asked surprised as the thief pulled out a small pocket knife.

"They took away my cane." Sly told her as he slightly pouted at the thought of being separated with the Cooper family heirloom.

"Good for them but that still makes them idiots." The muttered. "It's supposed to be standard procedure."

"Should you really talk about your colleagues like that Carm?" He asked with a smile as he undid the cork with a loud popping sound.

"You clearly have no idea what they say behind my back. I assure you it's much worse then what I have said."

"I might have caught a few rumors from those nice gentlemen guarding the cell. I didn't figure you to be the kind of lady that did the same thing back."

"Like I keep someone around just too spread filthy gossip about my colleagues." She sighed as she watched Sly pour the dark red liquid into the glasses. "You do know that I will ask you to give me that before I leave." She stated, nodding towards the pocket knife.

"You can keep it. Who knows you might find it useful someday chéri."

"You'll probably steal a new one anyway right?"

"Perhaps."

A moment of silence fell as the two took a first sip of their drink.

"You do have fine taste in wine ringtail."

He watched her close her eyes and devour the flavor of the liquid.

"And women to drink such fine wine with." He added with a smirk.

Suddenly the sound of her laughter filled the nearly empty cell. It's sound echoing against the walls.

"Where you born like that?" she asked after being able to breath again.

The infamous Sly Cooper blinked a couple of times. He wasn't sure what she thought was so amusing, nor did he understand why she asked him that.

"If you mean if I was always a raccoon then yes."

She giggled before taking another sip and shaking her head lightly.

"No. I mean...never mind."

"Don't let it in beautiful. I'll answer."

"I was just wondering if you ever stop being so...flirty."

"Not when I'm sitting so close to a very talented and lovely young woman like yourself." He smiled refilling his glass.

"What about your friends? What are they like? I mean, they should bust you out sometime tonight right?"

"So many questions dear Carmelita."

She pulled the bottle from his hands, letting her glass be filled with once again.

"I've got you now. Might as well ask a few things while you're not going anywhere."

"Well for your information, I'm not the one who came up with the plan. I just suggested the purpose of my sudden surrender."

"Which is?"

He cocked an eyebrow, showing her another all knowing smile.

"Right you won't tell me."

"Correct."

"Your turtle friend is the one who comes up with the plans right?"

"Bentley. Yeah he's always been the planner ever since we where little kids and he's much braver in the field then he looks."

"How's he doing? Last time I heard he was hospitalized after the whole Clock-La ordeal." She asked in a whisper knowing the subject might be a sensitive one.

To her surprise he kept on smiling before taking another sip.

"He's fine thanks to you. Bound to a wheelchair for life, but he's managing with what he has and to be honest I'm glad that he's still alive."

"I'm not sure I'm the one to thank for that." she muttered turning her head away to hide an upcoming blush.

"You knew my team was in no shape to fight or run away and you put their welfare above your job and accepted my proposal to come quietly." Sly explained.

"What about Murray? How's he doing these days?"

"He...he left a month after we busted Bentley out of the hospital. He needed a break I guess." He shuddered.

"Does he blame himself for what happened to your friend?"

"How did you know?" He asked in return, his eyes slightly widened in surprise.

"Well I've had a chat with him in Canada once. He doesn't seem like the guy who could easily let this go."

"You're right." The raccoon sighed.

"Is that why you turned yourself in? Because the Cooper Gang fell apart?"

"Nope." He laughed. "Good try though."

"Aww shoot I give up. Give me another round ringtail." she ordered as she held up her empty wineglass in front of him.

He obliged and felt the bottle getting even more lighter as he refilled his own glass.

"You know it sounds like you're missing one hell of a party up there."

She looked up at the ceiling, hearing the vibrating sounds of the music penetrating trough the thick walls.

"I'm not that much of a crowd person." She confessed.

"Really? You had me fooled at Rajan's ball."

Feeling a sudden wave of heat rising up to her cheeks she frowned and looked away again.

"Don't remind me." Carmelita growled.

Sly softly chuckled.

"Why? You where having a great time if I recall correctly. Heck I even made you crack a smile once."

"I...I did have fun...but..." She started.

He raised a brow waiting for her to continue.

"You used me." She softly whispered.

Knowing she was right he lowered his head once again, this time his ears followed.

"You wouldn't have danced with me otherwise..."

"You only danced with me because you wanted to steal the..."

"Clockwerk wings." The thief finished.

She nodded with an upset look on her face.

"We both know how dangerous those things were."

A moment of silence fell, only the loud laughter of the people upstairs, mixed with the thumping music was heard.

"Let me make it up to you." Sly offered as he rose from his place.

Holding out his right hand towards her, he slightly bowed.

"Dance with me Carm."

Part of her wanted to shout and scream at him and another part of her wanted to be swept away like he had done in India.  
Doubting her decision she grabbed his hand and immediately regretted it as he pulled her body close to his and locked her in an light embrace.

"Cooper." She hissed.

"Don't be angry chéri. We'll never have another moment like this."

She noticed how her body began moving along with him on the slow thumps of the music.

"Don't tell me you've planned this all just so that you can dance with me?" She suddenly asked.

He laughed before dipping her gently.

"I wish. This is just a very pleasant twist in the plan. Like the dance we shared in India."

"That was a twist in your plan?"

"Bentley's idea really. Of course I wasn't expecting it, but I couldn't give up that once in a lifetime chance to be that close to you."

"You should have let me catch you, then you would have known how close you could get too me." She grinned before he pulled her up again.

"Close enough for a kiss?" He boldly asked.

Shocked she stepped away from the raccoon, pulling out her shockpistol.

"Don't get any ideas ringtail. I've told you I don't..."

The smile on his face grew wider as he kept looking at her with amusement in his eyes.

"Kiss on the first date?" Carmelita said. More in as an question then anything else.

"I believe this is our second date beautiful."

She lowered her pistol, looking at the thief with a raised brow and a sign of confusion on her face.

"When was...the first one?"

"That would be our little chat in the chopper six months ago. The whole reason you decided I'm better suited as company tonight."

"That wasn't..." she started.

"Ah but it was dearest Carmelita." He grinned before taking his place on the small bed again.

She followed his lead.

"All we did was talk." The vixen grumbled.

"That we did. We talked about everything until you found out we where going around in circles. You felt comfortable around me for the first time since you started to chaise me around the world."

"True." She admitted in a sigh.

"I know what kind of music you like, what kind of books you read. The things one finds out on a first date."

"Your definition of a 'date' sure is strange ringtail. Don't tell me that is the reason why you gave yourself in?"

"No. This is another pleasant twist." Sly told her as he poured himself another glass of wine. "What might your definition of a date be Carmelita? What do I need to do too steal your heart?"

"You should know. You're the master thief here." She told him before grabbing the full glass away from the raccoon.

"Touché."

"For once though, when a guy is taking me out...I wished he made me feel like a woman. Not just a piece of meat ready to be brought home."

"Is that why you don't date anymore?"

"How do you know?" She said in shock.

"I told you the last time I sneaked into your office. I like watching you sleep...I wanted to know if you are still save and I've been doing that for a couple of years now."

"So stalking will be added to your record then."

"I assure you gorgeous, I never stick around long enough for it to be considered stalking."

"I know."

"You do?" He asked.

"You always think I'm asleep, but I'm not most of the time. You know that I have a mirror facing the window in my bedroom right?"

"The one that's on your closet?"

"Yeah."

"What about...Oh I see. When you have your back turned towards the window, you can see in the mirror if I..."

She nodded before taking the last sip from her glass.

"You could have arrested me right then and there."

"I have thought about it but then you did something...something you seem to be doing every time you sneak into my apartment."

"I just make sure you're comfortable."

The vixen nodded.

"You always pull the blanket over my shoulders and you whish me a good night."

"Why do you let me?" He suddenly wanted to know.

"That's not important." Carmelita whispered.

"It is. Like I said you could have busted me ten times already or at least beaten me to a bloody pulp."

"Promise you won't laugh."

He nodded.

"It makes me feel like you really care for me, that you are watching over me." she whispered.

The vixens eyes where fixated on the floor while her mind screamed at her for pouring out her heart like that.  
Another moment of silence fell between the two rivals. A moment which almost seemed to last an eternity.  
She was about to apologize to him and convince too forget what she had said, when Carmelita realized he wasn't answering.

Before she could do so, two gentle fingers lifted her gaze from the concrete floor as her brown eyes met his.

"Carm. I do care a lot about you." He softly whispered. "And I'll do anything to keep you save."

She blinked a couple of times before she realized something. This was Sly Cooper talking too her.

"D-Don't lie to me!"

Taken aback by her sudden burst of anger, Sly took a small step back. He watched as the young woman before him began to shake lightly, her eyes shut trying to fight back tears.

"You never cared! If you did then you wouldn't have left me chained besides an active volcano! You wouldn't have tricked all those times...you could have helped me when I was all alone in Canada!"

The thief sighed when he noticed tears streaming down her face.

"I know. That was mean...and I'm sorry for all those things." Gently he took her shaking hands and kneeled before her. "I should have...been more of a gentlemen...and that we where both younger back then is no excuse for me to leave you there like that."

"Damn right you jerk." She pouted with a frown. Though the words didn't come out as stern as she wanted them to be.

He slightly chuckled as he brought her hands to his mouth and kissed the fabric of the yellow gloves she always wore.

"I'm not lying Carm. If you can, please accept the apology of an foolish raccoon who didn't listen to his heart sooner."

Her emotions seemed to ebb away as his smooth voice asked her for forgiveness.  
Pulling her hands from his grasp, she stood up and whipped away the tears from her fur.  
Slightly confused Sly stood up from his kneeling position before brushing away the remaining tears with his thumb.

"Say it." Carmelita suddenly started not daring to look at him.

"Say it?"

"I'll accept your apology and forgive you, but only when you say it. Tell me the words that will let me know how much I mean too you."

The raccoon shook his head.

"I can't."

"Can't or won't?" She huffed.

"Can't." Was his answer this time.

Heavy footsteps soon followed after his answer.

"Captain Fox?" One of the guards asked.

"I'm done here boys." The vixen called out before snatching the small Swiss pocketknife from it's place on the thin mattress.

When she left he felt a painful sting in his heart as he took the bottle of wine and swallowed the remainder of the red liquid in there.

"You blew it didn't you?" Asked a nasal voice suddenly.

"How long have you been listening Bentley?" The raccoon whispered.

"Kinda hard not to when she's yelling like that."

"Then yeah I blew it."

"I think we need a change of plan partner."

"That sounds like music to my ears 'wizard'." Sly smirked as he carefully listened to Bentley's plans trough the tiny earpiece he wore. The loud thumping of the music masking their conversation.

* * *

She didn't realize she had fallen asleep at one of the canteen tables until her boss shook Carmelita awake.

"That was some party last night eh Fox?" Barkley asked with a small smirk on his face.

She could only smile and nod before she remembered the long talk she had with the raccoon.

"Is...is Cooper going to be transferred today?"

"Sure is. After that yer goin' on a vacation. We all know ya need one."

"Vacation?"

"Yep. That'll be in about an hour Captain. I would clear my locker if I where you. 'Cause I ain't lettin' ya come back for a week or four." He assured her.

Suddenly she felt a bit more happier. Perhaps a well deserved rest could take her mind of what happened last night and that criminal flirt.

"Thank you chief!" She happily said before standing up.

"Ya go ahead Carmelita. I'll just grab a cup o' coffee."

With a broad smile she opened the canteen door. Looking forward to be rid of that raccoon for a while and enjoying the sunshine. A sudden thought popped into her head, wondering if she should go to Spain first and tell her parents about her promotion, when she suddenly noticed a gray and blue blur run past her.  
As a stripped tail disappeared around the corner, Carmelita realized Sly was trying to break out like she had expected.

"He couldn't wait until I was on vacation." She growled as she began the chaise.

* * *

The smug smile returned when Sly noticed her being hot on his tail. Quickly he sprinted trough the hallway in the early morning hours, until he caught sight of the red door that marked Carmelita's office.  
Jumping on her desk, the raccoon swiftly made his way to the window. Before he opened it a loud gasp and a hard thump made him look backwards again.  
The sweet smell of roses filling the room, the tail of Captain Fox barely visible in the sea of red petals.

"Are you alright Carm?" He asked.

"Ringtail!"

"Leave your window open tonight chéri." was his advice before he jolted out of the same way he broke into her office.

Pulling herself up from the ground, Carmelita Fox suddenly found herself surrounded by a sea of roses. Vases where neatly put together on her file cabinet, chair, coffee table and even on her small television. In each of those vases a large bouquet rested.  
Her floor was literally stacked with the flowers, making it impossible for her to normally move around the small room.

"Damn you Ringtail." She sighed.

* * *

That night the vixen made her daily round in her house, making sure all everything was locked. In the back of her mind she made a mental note to improve her locks so that a certain raccoon wasn't able to confuse her feelings again.  
When she came to her bedroom window however, she couldn't help but stare at the vases that now graced her home with the flowers they where holding.

"You better have a good explanation Cooper." She whispered before deciding to leave her bedroom window unlocked.

Not feeling tired at all, she grabbed one of her favorite novels and her reading glasses, hoping sleep would overcome her eventually.  
It never got the change as two hours later she heard her window being opened.

"I hope you better have a good explanation." She started without looking up from her book.

"I have." A familiar voice said.

She finally looked at him, raising a brow, waiting for his speech.

"Firstly I would like to apologize again. I didn't mean to make you...so sad. Secondly I would like to explain too you why I can't tell you those words you want to hear from me."

He took a seat on the edge of her double bed. Making sure he was on her side before taking her hands again.

"Why?" She asked with a frown.

"Because...I love you...will never be enough to let you know how much I care and how much you mean to me."

She suddenly smiled.

"But you can say it."

"Oh I can say it all night long Carmelita Montoya Fox." The raccoon brought her hand up to his lips once again and kissed them ever so lightly.

"I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you." He repeated, giving her hand a small kiss between his sentences.

She softly giggled.

"Alright you are forgiven Sly Cooper. For all those things in the past and what happened last night."

A sigh of relieve escaped his lips.

"What's with all the roses anyway? No note or anything."

"I figured that perhaps a thousand roses would be enough to show you how much I love you. That's why I couldn't say it last night, I've been planning to show you."

"Is that why you gave yourself in?" She laughed.

Again he shook his head at the same question.

"I was originally planning to steal something Captain."

"Inspector."

He blinked at her sudden correction.

"Weren't you..."

"You escaped." She bluntly stated. "One word of advice ringtail. When you are planning to turn yourself in, please decided to do so when you are really planning to do time."

"The big man at Interpol isn't that nice to you huh?"

"This was my last warning. If you ever pull that stunt again I'll be fired." She explained.

"And we wouldn't want our little rendezvous to end now would we." He smirked.

She smiled and shook her head.

"That's the whole reason I love running after you...Sly."

"No ringtail? That's my favorite." He pouted after hearing her say his name.

"Ringtail it is." She giggled as he once again kissed her hands. "Promise me something though."

"Anything chéri."

"Promise me you won't leave me behind and convince me to let you help me...even though I can be stubborn about those things sometimes." She blushed.

"Ah but that's what I like about you Carm and of course I promise."

"Thank you. I...I just needed to know if you would be there for me."

"Always."

The former foes sat there for a while, letting their fingers intertwine lightly before she spoke again.

"What where you planning to steal anyway?"

"You still don't know." He grinned.

"Knowing you, you must already have it."

"Last night was not any normal heist Carm. I planned to steal the most valuable thing in Paris, maybe even the world and I am sad to say I do not have it yet."

"Really. Notorious thief Sly Cooper missed his target." She laughed.

"I'm this close to it." He commented letting his nose rest on hers.

A wave of heat traveled to her cheeks before she smiled in a devious way.

"You talk too much." She whispered leaning in to give him a kiss.

She was half surprised to find his lips being planted on hers as he gently wrapped his arms around her.

"Now I have the most valuable thing in all of Paris. Happy valentines day." He mumbled against her lips before deepening the kiss.


End file.
